80 Years Later: Remembering the End of WWII and the Survivors of Japanese Atrocities in China

August 2025

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945, bringing an end to World War II and concluding one of the darkest chapters in human history. For China, this date represents not just the end of a global conflict, but the conclusion of a brutal occupation that began in 1937 and claimed millions of lives through warfare, massacres, and systematic atrocities.

The Weight of Memory

Eight decades have passed, yet the trauma endured by survivors and their descendants remains a profound testament to the human capacity for both suffering and resilience. As we commemorate this anniversary, we must confront the difficult truths of history while honoring those who lived through unimaginable horror.

The Second Sino-Japanese War, which merged into World War II, resulted in an estimated 14-20 million Chinese civilian deaths. Behind these staggering numbers lie countless individual stories of loss, survival, and enduring trauma that shaped generations.

Nanjing: A City's Nightmare

Perhaps no single event crystallizes the brutality of the occupation more than the Nanjing Massacre, which began on December 13, 1937. Over six weeks, Japanese forces systematically murdered an estimated 200,000-300,000 civilians and disarmed soldiers in China's then-capital. The massacre involved mass executions, widespread sexual violence affecting tens of thousands of women and girls, and the destruction of much of the ancient city.

Survivors of Nanjing faced not only physical wounds but psychological scars that would last lifetimes. Li Xiuying, who survived being stabbed 37 times while resisting assault, became one of many witnesses who spent decades ensuring the world would not forget. Zhang Xiuhong, who lost seven family members in a single day, carried survivor's guilt that many victims described as a weight heavier than their physical injuries.

The Broader Pattern of Atrocities

While Nanjing remains the most documented massacre, it was tragically not unique. Across occupied China, similar atrocities unfolded:

The biological warfare conducted by Unit 731 subjected thousands to horrific medical experiments and deployed plague-infected materials that killed hundreds of thousands. The "Three Alls Policy" (kill all, burn all, loot all) devastated rural communities across northern China. Forced labor, sexual slavery through the "comfort women" system, and mass killings became systematic tools of occupation.

These crimes left survivors with complex trauma that manifested in nightmares, hypervigilance, depression, and what we now recognize as post-traumatic stress disorder. Many survivors struggled with survivor's guilt, questioning why they lived when so many perished.

The Long Shadow of Trauma

The psychological impact of these atrocities extended far beyond those who directly experienced them. Children of survivors often describe growing up in households marked by unspoken grief, sudden outbursts of anger or tears, and parents who could never fully explain the horrors they had witnessed.

Dr. Wang Xueli, whose research has documented survivor testimonies, notes that many survivors initially remained silent for decades, unable to process or articulate their experiences. It was often only in their final years that many found the strength to speak, driven by a desire to prevent historical denial and ensure remembrance.

The trauma also manifested collectively. Entire communities lost their social fabric, traditional structures, and sense of safety. The destruction of cultural sites, libraries, and schools represented an assault not just on individuals but on Chinese civilization itself.

The Struggle for Recognition

For survivors, the end of the war in 1945 did not bring closure. Many spent subsequent decades fighting for recognition of their suffering, preservation of historical memory, and justice that largely never came. The Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, while convicting some leaders, left many perpetrators unprosecuted and many crimes unacknowledged.

This struggle for recognition added another layer to survivor trauma. Xia Shuqin, who lost seven family members in Nanjing at age eight, spent much of her later life testifying against Japanese historical revisionists who denied the massacre occurred. The burden of proof repeatedly placed on survivors to validate their own suffering compounded their trauma.

Preserving Memory in the 21st Century

Today, as the last survivors pass away, the responsibility of memory falls to subsequent generations. Museums like the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre preserve not just artifacts but personal testimonies that give individual voice to mass tragedy.

The testimonies collected over decades reveal common themes: the randomness of survival, the kindness of strangers who risked their lives to help, the guilt of living when others died, and the complex journey toward any semblance of healing. Many survivors describe finding purpose in testimony itself, transforming their trauma into historical witness.

Lessons for Humanity

The 80th anniversary comes at a time when the world faces new conflicts and humanitarian crises. The testimonies of Chinese survivors of World War II atrocities offer crucial lessons:

First, they remind us that behind every statistic is a human being with dreams, fears, and loved ones. Second, they demonstrate that trauma does not end with ceasefires but reverberates through generations. Third, they show that acknowledgment and recognition are essential components of healing, both individual and collective.

Perhaps most importantly, survivor testimonies stand as warnings about the human capacity for cruelty when hatred is systematized and humanity is denied to others. They remind us that "never again" requires active vigilance, education, and the courage to confront difficult histories.

Moving Forward

As we mark this anniversary, we must honor survivors not through empty platitudes but through genuine engagement with their stories and the lessons they offer. This means supporting historical education, preserving testimonies, and ensuring that the voices of survivors continue to be heard even after they are gone.

For the descendants of survivors, this anniversary may bring complex emotions—grief for what was lost, pride in resilience, anger at injustices unresolved. These feelings are valid parts of the ongoing process of collective healing.

The end of World War II 80 years ago brought relief but not resolution. True peace requires not just the absence of war but the presence of justice, recognition, and remembrance. As the generation of direct witnesses passes, we become the keepers of their memory and the guardians against forgetting.

Conclusion

The atomic bombs that fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ultimately prompted Japan's surrender, ending the war that had brought such devastation to China. While August 15, 1945, marked the formal end of hostilities, the journey toward healing continues eight decades later.

Today, we remember not just the end of the war but the resilience of those who survived and rebuilt. We honor the survivors of Nanjing and countless other atrocities not by dwelling solely on horror but by learning from their testimony, preserving their memory, and working toward a world where such atrocities become truly unthinkable.

As survivor Zhang Xiuying once said before her passing, "I speak not from hatred but from hope—hope that by knowing what humans are capable of at their worst, we might choose always to be our best."

The 80th anniversary is more than a historical milestone. It is a call to remember, to learn, and to ensure that the suffering of millions was not in vain. In honoring the survivors and victims of Japanese atrocities in China, we recommit ourselves to the essential work of building a more just and compassionate world.